Pages

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Comfort and healing

I can't claim any credit for the idea behind this post, which came from another blog that I can't recall. If it's yours, or you know where it originated, please do come forth so I can bestow credit where credit is due.

(Edit: The core idea came from Telecanter's Receding Rules. A lot more is covered there than merely healing rates, so go check it out if you haven't already.)

Anyway, the basic idea is that the comfort of characters affects their rate of healing, and comfort includes such things as entertainment as well as food and drink, lodgings, etc. My contribution to the cause is to codify these factors into a very simple system, utilizing a slight modification of the standard B/X ability score modifier table.

First, the "comfort score" is determined, starting with a base of 11. This assumes reasonable shelter from the elements (could be a house, an inn, or a sturdy pavilion or yurt), a basic bed such as a cot or straw pallet, adequate warmth, and basic food and drink (bread and cheese, porridge, or similar, plus water or other beverage of ordinary quality.)

Base rate of healing is 1d4 points per day, modified by the "comfort score" as if it were an ability score:

Less than 3 -4*

3 -3**

4-5 -2***

6-8 -1

9-12 No adjustment

13-15 +1

16-17 +2

18 +3

19 or more +4

* No spell memorization/restoring spell slots possible

** May not memorize or restore slots for highest two spell levels known

*** May not memorize or restore slots for highest level of spells known

Penalties may reduce a roll to zero or less, in which case no healing takes place and the character's condition may actually deteriorate.

Let's say our intrepid adventurers have had a rough go of things in an underground crypt, and barricade themselves in a dead-end chamber. The place is pervaded by a deathly chill (-1), they're sleeping on the ground (-1), on a hard surface (-1), on iron rations (-1), interrupting their sleep to keep a constant watch (-1), and in a very unnerving place (-1), for a total penalty of -6. That comes out to a Comfort score of 5, which is a -2 penalty to heal. To bolster their flagging spirits, they break out the bottle of fine vintage brandy they found in one of the crypts, which adds +1, making their overall score a 6. Their healing penalty is only -1, and their spell casters can recover all their spell levels normally. (If they hadn't had the brandy, they could have risked the noise of singing a few heroic ballads to achieve the same effect.)

Once they make it back to town, they spend a week recovering in the luxurious villa they prudently purchased with some of their previous loot. They have plush feather beds (+1), excellent food prepared by the villa staff (+1) in plenty (+1), they have nothing to do but rest and relax (+1), take hot baths (+1), enjoy all the luxuries of the well-to-do (+1), and in a very pleasing environment (+1) for a total Comfort score of 18.

If desired, the Comfort score can be adjusted individually for each character's Constitution modifier; thus, hearty souls can recover quickly even in less than ideal circumstances, while the more delicate require greater ease and comfort to restore themselves.